Sickness of Familiarity
by ShaduofTexitar
Summary: Roy Mustang falls ill to a mysterious disease, one that Winry and Havoc recognize. No one knows the cause, but they do know no one's survived.
1. Chapter 1

_Ch. 1_

"Oy, oy, look who it is!" Havoc playfully jabbed.

"Welcome back sir," Hawkeye grinned.

The repromoted Colonel Roy Mustang couldn't help but smile his response.

It had been nearly four years since Ed's disappearance and his assasination of King Bradley that had ultimately led to his demotion, and almost one since Al's disappearance. The parlaiment and military leaders had been in dispute over whether to promote him for his actions at the assualt from the fighters from London, the other side of the gate. Parliament said no, claiming he should not be rewarded for killing a man in power, referring to the Fuhrer. The military said yes, not only for his actions at the assualt, but also for bringing about a better life for everyone by killing the Fuhrer. In the end, it was decided he would be promoted back to Colonel, but his highest held rank, Brigadier General, would have to be obtained normally. At first, Roy had been a little disappointed, but standing here now, with familiar and trusted faces, he began to forget his discontent.

"Good to see you all again," Roy nodded. "Or at least as well as I can," he motioned to the black patch over his left eye, covering the eye socket and almost half of that side.

"I'm surprised they even gave you back the rank of Colonel with only one eye," Falman earnestly stated.

"Are you saying it lowers my ability?" Roy challenged.

"No! No, sir, it's obvious it doesn't, but you…you just think it would," Falman quickly corrected himself, waving his hands in front of him.

"I've learned to cope," Roy shrugged. "No big deal. My aim's just as good as it used to be," he snapped his glove and shot a spark into a nearby trash can to prove his point.

"We know sir," Havoc snorted. "We saw your actions with the invaders."

"Still, it's good to know," Fury chimed in. "After all, they were large targets," he looked at the fire in the trash can as it died out.

"As much as I hate to break up this happy moment, I really must remind you sir, that you have paperwork, and the rest of you have jobs to do," Hawkeye reluctantly cut it. "There will be more time to celebrate later."

The all mumbled their agreement. Begrudgingly, Falman, Havoc, Fury, and Breda left the room to do their respective jobs around Central, seeing as how Roy's authority wasn't official until the next day. Hawkeye, however, lingered behind, wanting a few private words with the Colonel.

"It really is good to see you back sir," Hawkeye told her superior when the others had left. "We all were waiting, I just never thought I'd see the day you were back here with us. Those stripes suit you best…Roy."

Roy flashed his approval at the use of his name and nodded.

"Riza…" he started cautiously, catching her attention even more. "I…I would just like to thank you."

"For what?" she cocked her head.

"For helping me after I was hurt. I'm not sure I would've survived without you. And…for sticking with me, believing in me, even when I didn't."

She smiled. "It was nothing. I was happy to do it. It's what we do."

"Yeah," Roy chuckled, understanding her reference. "Guess you have something to do, huh?"

"Yes," Hawkeye sadly admitted, nodding.

"Well go on, I'll see you later."

Nodding, Hawkeye left the office, leaving Roy alone. Making sure everyone was gone, he sighed and heavily rested his forehead on the desk in front of him. That old feeling, the sick old feeling, was returning to him. He placed a hand over his eye patch. It hurt the worst. He guessed what ever this was, it probably orginated from there.

"This was one thing I didn't miss," he told the papers waiting to be sighed when he rose his head again. "Paperwork."

Sitting back in his chair, he gazed out the window, thinking of his life. Ever since he was a teen, he had been rebellious. That's why he started using alchemy in the first place. He wanted to buck the system, do something new. When he was forced, by his dad, to enter the army, he entered as a State Alchemist. His friend, Maes Hughes, had entered after him to support him. But what had doing that really gotten him? He was sent to the Ishbal war, his best friend was killed, and he lost an eye and respect, just because he was rebellious.

"Baka," Roy told himself. "It wasn't worth it. Why couldn't you just do as you're told?" chuckling, he lowered his head and closed his eyes. "I know. That's just the way I am."

Despite his attempts, the nagging feeling in the back of his mind that told him something would go wrong would not leave. Trying to shake it off, Roy turned back to his papers.


	2. Chapter 2

_Ch. 2_

Hawkeye looked around the lunch room, looking for Roy, but only disappointing herself when she did not see him. This in itself was not strange for he was known to eat lunch in his office or even go out for lunch, but he had told her that he would eat lunch with her today. Maybe he had just forgotten. It wouldn't have been hard with all the paperwork he had.

She desposited her tray as soon as she was done with it and then made her way down the hall to Roy's office, spirits high. It had depressed her to see that Roy had been demoted and shipped out of Central. He hadn't deserved such harsh punishment. He had only been doing what he thought was right. The higher ups didn't see it at the time. It had been quiet and lonely around without Roy. She was glad he was back.

"Roy," she called, opening the door to the office. "Roy?" she called again, confused. She got the same response this time. Nothing. "Roy?" she called out, looking around the office.

Everything seemed normal. Everything was as it had been when she had left that morning. Even the stack of papers remained untouched, typical of Roy.

"It's okay," she told herself. "He probably just went to the restroom."

She went back to the door and grasped the knob, turning around and taking a final look around the office. That's when she saw them. Two legs sticking out from behind the desk, military boots covering the feet.

"Colonel," she gasped.

Forgetting her intention to leave, she raced over to the desk to find Roy lying on the floor, eyes closed.

"Roy," she shook him. "Roy. Roy. Roy!" her shakes became more frantic.

She quickly checked him up and down, making sure he had no obvious injuries. No broken bones or anything. She put a couple fingers to his neck to find his pulse strong, to her relief.

Memories of the night, that night that had changed her life and his, came back. His body was in almost the exact same postion as it had been that night. But this time, there was no blood, and his breathing was obvious. She could see him, feel him, breathe. That was more than she could say for that night.

She rolled him onto his back and looked him over again to find nothing wrong, on the outside. Instinctively, she placed a hand on his forehead and instantly drew it away. Standing to her feet, she knew she would have to get help for the Colonel, but who could help her? She couldn't leave him. She dropped back to his side.

She peered over the desk when she heard someone walking by in the hall.

"I can't believe they put me on toliet cleaning duty," Havoc grumbled as he walked down the hall. "Their only reason being 'Your mouth should match your enviroment', whatever that means," he scratched the back of his head. "If Roy were in charge, I wouldn't be doing this."

"Havoc!" Hawkeye yelled as he walked by.

He stopped suddenly, his cigarette nearly falling from his mouth. He breifly looked around, disoriented. But then he saw Hawkeye peering over the desk and smiled.

"Whatcha doin' down there?" Havoc chuckled. "Don't tell me naughty things," he added, noting the extra pair of boots.

"Havoc, this is serious!" Hawkeye scolded. "Roy's sick!"

"I'm sure the guy's bound to be sick some time," Havoc shrugged.

"Havoc! He's sick right now!"

"Then he's probably at home."

"No! He's here!"

Hawkeye, realizing he wouldn't take it seriously until he saw it for himself, thrusted her arms through Roy's and dragged him out from behind the desk. Havoc started, suddenly serious and understanding the gravity of the situation.

"What's wrong with him?" Havoc asked, coming over to Hawkeye and kneeling down beside her.

"I don't know, but he's burning up," Hawkeye reported as Havoc took his own hand and put it on Roy's forehead to feel for himself.

"What happened?" Havoc looked over at his comrade.

"Not sure," Hawkeye told him. "I was mildly worried when he didn't show up for lunch with me, like he promised he would. But I just figured that he got involved with paper work and forgot. I figured it'd be best if I came and checked in on him anyways, and I found him like this. I guess he just collapsed."

"Exhaustion maybe?" Havoc suggested.

"I don't think so," Hawkeye shook her head. "He was well rested when he came in this morning. I made sure of that."

"Oh, been getting smitten with him, huh?" Havoc teased.

"No! I just went over to his house last night for dinner and made sure he was relaxed and calm. He was estatic to come back."

"I would be too, if I were in his shoes," Havoc nodded.

"Havoc, help me," Hawkeye pleaded. "What should I do?"

Havoc was taken back. Hawkeye was a very independent woman and would very rarely ask for help, much less help from Havoc.

"I…uh…well," he looked back down at the Colonel. "I remember…once, when my father got sick, it was something similar to this."

"Really?" Hawkeye perked hopefully. "What'd you do?"

"Orginally, we took him to a doctor, but there was nothing the doctor could do. So, we might as well take Colonel home."

Hawkeye looked at Havoc for a second before asking, "What happened to your father?"

Havoc looked up, a distant look in his eye. "He didn't make it. Within a week, he was gone."


	3. Chapter 3

_Ch. 3_

Roy moaned, rolling his head to one side only to feel a damp rag slip off and over his unpatched eye. It felt nice. He liked the coolness. It made his pain ease away.

A gentle hand picked up the rag and placed it back on his forehead. He sighed and heard someone call his name hopefully. Deciding it would be best to respond, he opened his eye to see…

"Riza?" Roy murmured, confused. "What are you doing here?" his eye sweeped around. "Where is here?"

"Your apartment," Hawkeye told him. "We took you home."

"We?"

"Havoc and I. Havoc went back to headquarters, but I stayed here with you."

"Why?"

"I was worried about you, Roy," Hawkeye looked down. "You just…collapsed in your office, I think. Someone needed to take care of you."

"Collapsed? What do you mean?" Roy cocked his head.

"Don't you remember anything?" Riza asked.

Roy put a hand to his patch. "I remember sitting and thinking about doing paper work, and then turning around and starting my paper work. And then…I had to take care of buisness, and then I was here."

"Hm, well, I suppose it doesn't matter much now," Hawkeye stated. "How are you feeling?"

Roy hesistated before answering. "Fine," he lied.

Hawkeye's eyes hardened. "No, you're not fine. 'Fine' people don't collapse in the middle of work. You're sick Roy."

"If you knew the answer, then why did you ask?" Roy hottly demanded, sitting up in bed.

"To see if you admitted you were ill," Hawkeye told him truthfully. "Also, I figure, if you're well enough to argue, then whatever this is isn't that serious."

Roy stared at her for a beat, and then softened and smiled. "Am I really that predictable?"

"You'd better believe it," Hawkeye couldn't help but laugh a little.

Roy sat with his back against the wall. "So, what do you think about this?"

Hawkeye looked up at him. "I don't know what to think, honestly. But, you'll be back at work soon enough I'm sure."

"Yeah," Roy sighed.

Hawkeye thought she heard a downcast tone in Roy's voice, and wondered why it had been there.

Shadu: Sorry it's short. The next chapter will be longer.


End file.
